


One Year Later

by KennaxVal



Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-08-09 23:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20125348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KennaxVal/pseuds/KennaxVal





	One Year Later

I sat back in my chair rubbing my eyes. It was one of those days; nothing especially stressful, but enough to make one feel tired just the same. Cordonia may have brought down the Sons of Liberty a year earlier, but I vowed never to be complacent. I owed that much to my mother.

Amidst the various stacks of papers on my desk is a framed picture of my mother and me shortly before her death. Staring into the photo, I wished with every fiber of my being that I could call out to that young boy and tell him to treasure every moment with such a magnificent woman.   
Earlier that year, my father passed away, which proved to be a surprising relief. Knowing his pain was over brought me comfort. If anything, his death made me think more of my mother and her untimely passing. When I think of the most significant moments in my life she couldn’t be there for, it feels like a knife to my heart.   
At least her killers were brought to justice after all this time, but it couldn’t bring her back, couldn’t reassure me that she would be proud of the king, the husband and the man I became.  
Looking at the clock, I noticed it was quite late, so I grabbed my coat and headed to the palace, hoping I hadn’t kept Genevieve waiting too long. When I arrived, she looked happy to see me. Standing at a little over one and a half meters, she still projected confidence befitting a queen. I looked into her grey eyes as I wrapped an arm around her thin frame. Despite my exhaustion, her touch made me forget about my worries and reminded me of how fortunate I am.  
I lost my mother before I reached the age when I became interested in girls, so she wasn’t there to teach me how to treat a woman. When I met Genevieve, I decided to listen to my heart and treat her how I hope my father did with my mother. With my arm still holding her, I squeezed, but not too tight, as I remember the one thing she told me about women, “Liam, you must always be delicate with a woman, while still respecting her strength.”  
It proved to be sound advice in the years to come. Genevieve’s skin is soft to the touch, yet she overcame the odds and endured great hardship so that we can find ourselves at this moment. Like my mother, she was not born in Cordonia, yet took to our culture and royal life with exceptional grace. Even now, I am thankful that she dedicated herself so thoroughly to a place that wasn’t her home. Through her strength and persistence, she learned our ways, educated herself on life in court and proved to be as true a Cordonian as any I’ve ever met.  
She handed me a postcard from Hana and Persy, taken on their honeymoon in Shanghai. Seeing my friend happy brought warmth to my heart, and I was pleased to see Hana end up with someone she loves. Setting the postcard down, I leaned forward to kiss Genevieve.  
Like always, her kiss was sweet; warm and soft against my lips. As much as we enjoyed being together for the evening, I felt the need to go out and get some air and Genevieve agreed.   
***  
Although it had been too long since our last visit, the conservatory seemed the perfect place to go and clear our heads. Genevieve seemed to glow as we walked around, breathing in the flora around us until we sat at the edge of the fountain.  
“Do you remember the first time I brought you here?” I asked her.  
She smiled at me, “how could I forget?” her reply, “Everything was so different back then. Leaving my home for an uncertain world, and you asking me if I could adjust to being queen.”  
“You’ve done so admirably,” I reassured her, “of course, I wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence myself. To think, I would soon be king,” I shake my head, “I was worried that I might not be ready.”  
Genevieve cupped my face, the day-long stubble lightly scratching her hand and she looked at me affectionately. “We’ve both grown a lot in our time together. The people of Cordonia are lucky to have you as their king. You know you’ll always have something new you’re not sure you’ve prepared enough for,“ she looked down with a smile, "I wonder if the prince or princess will like it here.”  
“The who?” I ask, in a moment of ignorance that still embarrasses me.  
“I can picture them now,” she continues, seeming not to have heard my question, “blond hair like yours, fair skin like mine, growing up as a royal. It’s not for everyone, but I hope it’s to their liking.”  
“What a minute,” I say as the realization hits me like a ton of bricks, “you mean…?”  
Wordlessly, she takes my hand and places it on her stomach. “Liam,” she says with a smile that seemed to shine, “I once told you, at this very spot, that we would have adorable children. Now that promise is coming to fruition.”  
Even now, thinking about that moment brings a tear to my eye, but at the time, I was overwhelmed. The idea that I, Liam Rys, was about to be a father transformed my world. I never thought I could be as happy as I was on my wedding day, but to hear that Genevieve and I were adding a new member to our family filled me with intense joy.   
Immediately I kissed her and lifted her up, only to set her back down, concerned about the baby. Admittedly, I had no clue about the protocol for times like these.   
“Liam, it’s fine,” she said with a laugh, “I can’t wait to see how great you are as a father.”  
“And I must say, Mrs. Rys, you have some steep competition, but I think you’re going to be the best mother a child could ever want.”


End file.
